How to Be COVID-Kind with Video Calls
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there was been a wild increase in the use of video calls. As a PR person, I immediately worried that video calls would add undue volatility to an already unpredictable situation. Before you request a Zoom meeting, consider….is a video call the best tool for this? Would a conference call suffice? Or would a screen-share only video call be the best option for my audience?
How Livestreaming Can Help During COVID-19
Stay-at-home measures caused by COVID-19 in the United States are leading to an increase in the popularity of livestreaming content for consumers and creators. Livestreaming is a powerful tool that allows for direct communication in real-time, giving users a much needed sense of connection. In this blog, I share how to’s for individuals, professionals, and/or organizations who want to use livestreaming to adjust to life in this “new normal.”
Crisis Communication in the COVID-19 Climate
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned organizations of all sizes across the world upside down. Our independence and social norms have shifted dramatically to stop the spread of this novel coronavirus. Based on what I’ve experienced alongside journalists these past days, here are suggestions for how to move forward in our world’s new normal.
Lessons Learned from Livestreaming
Livestreaming allows organizations to share video content in an interactive, exciting way. As this format of video creation increases in popularity, organizations should invest their time and energy into using this tool for their advantage. Here are some key lessons I have learned from livestreaming so you know what to expect and what to avoid before you broadcast live.
Two PR Materials Newsrooms Need
Two materials are critical for the PR tool belt of anyone who wants local newsrooms to publish their stories: the press release and the media alert. In collaboration with a top newsroom editor, we outlined what elements are necessary for each document- a breakdown that will help readers distinguish between the two frequently confused materials.
Nine Ways to Determine What's Newsworthy
Throughout my 19-year career specializing in public relations, I have worked with countless journalists to tell important stories. Pitching story ideas to reporters can seem daunting. Read about the nine ways that journalists determine what stories may be worth covering. Use these points as criteria on whether you should consider your “news” worthy of a story pitch.
Breakfast Meeting Spots in San Antonio
A compiled list of cost-conscious recommendations to accommodate your next professional breakfast meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
What is Public Relations?
Most people have heard of advertising and many want to work in that industry. Not as many seem to be aware of public relations (PR) as a field. And many students and professionals have no idea how welcoming, soul-satisfying and flexible it can be as a career path.
FTF: Week of June 28, 2019
#InternEdition
Last week, I attended the American Marketing Association awards on behalf of MVW Communications. I was able to network and begin to build relationships with…
FTF: Week of June 7, 2019
Helping others is helping yourself. Relationships matter, but shallow relationships give you shallow support. Help others by…
FTF: Week of Aug. 24, 2018
1. Attention to detail is wildly important. Something as simple as one wrong word can ruin a deal, end your chance at a job opportunity, or put you into hot water with a client, spouse or even your kid. Slow down when you email…
Saying Farewell to La Prensa de San Antonio
I returned from a short vacation to learn that La Prensa de San Antonio has ended its run. What a loss for the city of San Antonio. The Duran family and their staff worked hard to tell positive stories that benefited an often underrepresented community…
FTF: Week of Sept. 8, 2017
OMG it's September. I can't even get into any smart reflections because typing that date seems impossible...
FTF: Week of July 21, 2017
Week of July 21, 2017
1. Work/life balance is the unicorn everyone is talking about. Those scales will never be even in my heart. But my head knows that each day (or sometimes hour) dictates where my focus needs to be...
Introducing: Final Thoughts Friday
I've been terrible about posting consistently. Who has time, right? I've noticed I can find time to write blog posts on Fridays. My brain is DONE by Friday, though. So let's keep it simple. I'm launching a special Friday series where I round up the best lessons the week had to offer. The good, bad and the uggggglllly.
Eight Ways Graduates Can Prepare for the PR World
You get the degree; you get the dream job…right? Any practitioner can tell you it doesn’t work that way. Employers believe that degrees carry weight -- but that's just part of the equation. Learning the theory of public relations and the practice of it can reveal wide gaps. So how can a new graduate prepare to earn (and keep) a place in the PR world? Here are eight essential tips that can help you succeed during your first years on the job.
Five Ways to Increase Your Relationship ROI
One of the fastest ways to get ahead is learning from others’ lessons. I'm grateful to leaders like Nely Galan who are honest about the decades it took them to become an overnight success. It's a gift when we can avoid pitfalls, work smarter and navigate our career paths in ways that are a little less painful. What inspires someone to be candid and vulnerable enough to share a game-changing story with you? Your relationship.
3 Words to Fix a "Mad Face"
To know me is to know that I'm a mother. I always have some story about my kids that helps illustrate a point in a meeting, builds rapport with a new client or simply breaks the ice at an awkward social gathering. I also tend to develop little sayings -- little phrases that help me illustrate an important message. When I'm lucky, the stars align for my kids to inspire one that helps us all be better people.
Ghosting Is a Don't. Show Respect by Responding
I've noticed lately that not responding seems to be the new method many people are using to opt out of simply saying "no". It used to happen more in my personal life. We've probably all sat on RSVPing to an event at some point in time. Now, it's happening more often in the business world. Professionals, even professional communicators, are choosing silence as a response.